Wireless Radio Switching

1 . A playback device comprising:

at least one processor;

a network interface comprising:

a first radio that is configured to connect the playback device to one or more computing devices via a first network that uses a first operating frequency band; and

a second radio that is configured to connect the playback device to one or more other playback devices via a second network that uses a second operating frequency band;

at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

operate in a first mode in which (i) the second radio is disabled and (ii) the playback device utilizes the first radio to communicate with a given computing device over the first network; and

while operating in the first mode, receive user input indicating a request to join a playback group with a given other playback device that is playing back media content;

in response to the user input:

enable the second radio;

operate in a second mode in which the playback device utilizes the second radio to communicate with the given other playback device over the second network; and

send a request to establish a connection with the other playback device and thereby cause the playback device to join the playback group with the given other playback device; and

after joining the playback group with the given other playback device:

receive the media content over the second network; and

play back the media content.

2 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the first operating frequency band is different from the second operating frequency band.

3 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to operate in the second mode comprise program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

operate in the second mode in which the playback device (i) utilizes the second radio to communicate with the given other playback device over the second network and (ii) utilizes the first radio to communicate with the given computing device over the first network.

4 . The playback device of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

transition from operating in the second mode to operating in the first mode.

5 . The playback device of claim 1 , further comprising program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

based on the user input, cause the other playback device to stop playing back the media content.

6 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the first operating frequency band comprises an operating frequency band in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) section 802.15 standards, and

wherein the second operating frequency band comprises an operating frequency band in accordance with IEEE 802.11 standards.

7 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the first network is established in the first frequency band via a frequency hopping configuration within the first frequency band.

8 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the first frequency band comprises a 2.4 gigahertz (“GHz”) frequency band; and

the second frequency band comprises a 5 GHz frequency band.

9 . The playback device of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more first transducers;

one or more second transducers;

wherein the media content comprises a first channel of the media content and a second channel of the media content; and

wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to play back the media content comprise program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

play back, via the one or more first transducers, the first channel of the media content; and

play back, via the one or more second transducers, the second channel of the media content.

10 . The playback device of claim 1 , wherein the media content comprises audio content that is associated with video content,

wherein a video playback device (i) is in the playback group with the other playback device and (ii) plays back the video content, and

wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to receive the media content over the second network comprise program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

receive the audio content over the second network, and

wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to play back the media content comprise program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

play back the audio content during playback of the video content by the video playback device.

11 . The playback device of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to play back the audio content comprise program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

play back the audio content in synchrony with playback of the video content by the video playback device.

12 . The playback device of claim 1 , further comprising a control interface,

wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to receive the user input comprise program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

in response to a user interacting with the control interface, receive the user input indicating the request to join the playback group with the given other playback device that is playing back media content.

13 . The playback device of claim 12 , wherein the playback device is constructed as headphones, and

wherein the control interface comprises a button.

14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions, that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a playback device to:

operate in a first mode in which (i) the playback device utilizes a first radio to communicate with a given computing device over a first network and (ii) a second radio is disabled; and

while operating in the first mode, receive user input indicating a request to join a playback group with a given other playback device that is playing back media content;

in response to the user input:

enable the second radio;

operate in a second mode in which the playback device utilizes the second radio to communicate with the given other playback device over a second network; and

send a request to establish a connection with the other playback device and thereby cause the playback device to join the playback group with the given other playback device; and

after joining the playback group with the given other playback device:

receive the media content over the second network; and

play back the media content.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

operate in the second mode in which the playback device (i) utilizes the second radio to communicate with the given other playback device over the second network and (ii) utilizes the first radio to communicate with the given computing device over the first network.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

transition from operating in the second mode to operating in the first mode.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

based on the user input, cause the other playback device to stop playing back the media content.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the media content comprises a first channel of the media content and a second channel of the media content; and

wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device play back the media content comprises program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

play back, via one or more first transducers, the first channel of the media content; and

play back, via one or more second transducers, the second channel of the media content.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the playback device comprises a control interface, and

wherein the program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to receive the user input comprise program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the playback device to:

in response to a user interacting with the control interface, receive the user input indicating the request to join the playback group with the given other playback device that is playing back media content.

20 . A method carried out by a playback device, the playback device comprising (i) a first radio that is configured to connect the playback device to one or more computing devices via a first network that uses a first operating frequency band and (ii) a second radio that is configured to connect the playback device to one or more other playback devices via a second network that uses a second operating frequency band, the method comprising:

operating in a first mode in which (i) the second radio is disabled and (ii) the playback device utilizes the first radio to communicate with a given computing device over the first network; and

while operating in the first mode, receiving user input indicating a request to join a playback group with a given other playback device that is playing back media content;

in response to the user input:

enable the second radio;

operate in a second mode in which the playback device utilizes the second radio to communicate with the given other playback device over the second network; and

send a request to establish a connection with the other playback device and thereby cause the playback device to join the playback group with the given other playback device; and

after joining the playback group with the given other playback device:

receive the media content over the second network; and

play back the media content.